The Forest Service has introduced new food storage regulations in Desolation Wilderness requiring overnight users to now carry "a canister designed to prevent access by bears." Simply put, bear canisters are now required in Desolation Wilderness. This impacts everyone recreating in Desolation
UPDATED: Two New BearVault Bear Canisters!
Bear canisters are an essential piece of backcountry equipment for anyone traveling into bear country (or even anywhere in the backcountry there are animals). Not much has changed recently in the bear canister and food-protection space, but BearVault has just released two new products, the BV425
The Best Shelters for Couples on the Pacific Crest Trail (2021 Survey)
Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail as a couple can be a huge test of a relationship. Which tent or shelter to use as a couple can be an important consideration. Will you sleep together? Separate? Who will carry what part of the tent? Will you use a two or three-person tent? Will you bring no shelter
The Pacific Crest Trail Women’s Gear Guide (2021 Survey)
Pacific Crest Trail women's gear lists oftentimes do not align exactly with the gear lists broken down in the PCT Hiker Survey Gear Guide. I've structured the data here a bit differently than I have in the PCT Gear Guide; for each item, I've first listed the highest-rated and then immediately
The Pacific Crest Trail Gear Guide: Class of 2021 Survey
In the second installment of this year's Pacific Crest Trail Thru-hiker Survey, we dive into PCT hikers' gear. Pacific Crest Trail gear lists vary wildly between hikers and (spoiler alert) it's impossible to find a perfect PCT gear list. That said, we can try. I've organized this post in a way
The Pacific Crest Trail Hiker Survey (2021)
After an interesting year of Pacific Crest Trail thru-hiking and PCT survey results in 2020, we're back up and running with a (more) normal year in 2021. The PCT Survey is in its ninth year and I would like to extend a huge THANK YOU to everyone who took the time to participate. The PCT Survey is
How to Hike the PCT Without a Bear Canister
On a recent trip to Sequoia National Park, I noticed a paper taped to the wall at the backcountry permit office. Specifically, this piece of paper. I asked the ranger, "I was under the impression you were required to have a bear canister everywhere in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, but
Pacific Crest Trail Bear Canister Requirements
If there's one piece of gear that causes Pacific Crest Trail hikers the most headaches, it's the bear canister. Most northbound PCT thru-hikers pick up their bear canisters at Kennedy Meadows and then ditch them at either Sonora Pass (Kennedy Meadows North/Bridgeport) or Echo Summit (South Lake